1977 Topps Reggie Jackson Baltimore Orioles Unissued Proof - Iconic Rarity!

Sold For:

$60,000

Year:

1977

Auction:

2016 Spring

Lot #:

1197

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1970s to Present Cards

Presented is one of the most legendary and sought-after of all Topps variations: The unissued blank-back card featuring Reggie Jackson in a Baltimore Orioles uniform with a New York Yankees team designation from the 1977 Topps baseball set. Jackson was traded from Oakland to Baltimore in April 1976, after Topps had already produced a card of him in an Athletics uniform for the 1976 set. He appeared in 134 games with the team, and 1977 would have been the first card set to feature him in an Orioles uniform. In late 1976, however, Jackson signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees. Topps had images of Jackson with the Orioles in their image files and planned for him to be included as such in the 1977 set in their first run of proof sheets. When he switched teams, Topps had to adjust accordingly and ultimately replaced his card with an airbrushed image showing him in a Yankees batting helmet and uniform. This is one of only a handful (we believe the total number of examples to be fewer than ten, perhaps far fewer) Jackson/Orioles cards known to exist. They are extremely rare and are almost never available! This is the first one that we handled in twenty years! The card is hand-cut (by definition, as this card had to have been cut from a proof sheet) and is encapsulated as Authentic by SGC as a result; it is otherwise in Near Mint condition. There are very few unissued proof cards of this type from so early a date. This is an extremely famous and very notable Topps rarity that would be a significant addition to even the most advanced Topps or important rarities collection. Reserve $1,000. Estimate (open).